Here's why these 5 grocery staples have skyrocketed in price this year: CBC's Marketplace Cheat Sheet
Rising food prices in Canada are being driven by a mix of climate, economic, and policy factors, while a separate lawsuit accuses Starbucks of misleading consumers regarding the sugar content in its protein drinks. The lawsuit claims 'sugar-free' labels ignore naturally occurring sugars in milk.
Why it matters
These stories highlight the dual pressures of inflation on household budgets and the increasing legal scrutiny on corporate health claims.
Want this in your inbox? Get the Marketplace newsletter every Friday .
In January, the price of ground beef increased by more than 10 times the rate of general inflation. (Bryan Eneas/CBC)
Grocery prices have been going up faster than overall inflation for more than a year, with the exception of August.
Economist Jim Stanford and agriculture professor Mike von Massow say a combination of factors is driving food prices higher, including climate, immigration policies, tariffs and retailer pricing.
Using consumer price index (CPI) data from Statistics Canada, Marketplace looked at some of the biggest year-over-year food price increases in 2026 and what was driving them.
To find out why beef, chicken, tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers have become more expensive — and the government's plan to make food more affordable, read our full story from Rosa Marchitelli, Jeremy McDonald and Tomi Joseph-Raji.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in